Mechanism for ejecting boxes frcm drying-conveyers



J. C. DONNEL'LY.

MECHANISM FOR EJECTING BOXES FROM DRYING CONVEYERS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13, I919.

Patented Nov. 2, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l- HM WJQQAQ J. C. DONNELLY.

' MECHANISM FOR EJECTING BOXES FROM DRYING CONVEYERS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13, 1919- Patented Nov. 2, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2."

J056 77L Cfimmell/ J. C. DONNELLY.

MECHANISM FOR EJECTING BOXES FROM DRYING CONVEYERS,

APPLICATION HLFD SEPT. 13, 1919.

1,357,387, Patented Nov. 2, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- 1. c. DONNELLY, MECHANISM Ufi EJECTING BOXES FROM DRYING CONV EYERS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I3, I919.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICIE.

JOSEPH C. DONNELLY, 0F BAREERTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE DIAMOND MATCH COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

.MECI-IANISM FOR. EJ'ECTING BOXES FROM DRYING-GONVEYERS.

Application filed September 13, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrrr G. DoNNnLLY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Barberton, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanism for Ejecting Boxes from Drying-Conveyors, of which the following is a specification.

In an application for Letters Patent'of the United States filed simultaneously herewith, Serial Number 323,546, I have disclosed an apparatus for applying ignition paint the the narrow sides of match boxes and for inserting them successively into a traveling conveyer by means of which the freshly painted boxes are carried through an extended path until the paint has become dry; the said conveyer in its preferred form comprising an endless chain of open or skeleton links havingrespectively spring clips which embrace the boxes and hold them in spaced relation to each other without liability of rubbing or inarring the painted surfaces of the boxes.

' My present invention relates to a'mechanism of simple and efficient construction and operation for ejecting the boxes successively from the conveyer after they have been carried through a path of sutficient tent to insure the drying of the ignition terial on the boxes; which mechanism, generally stated, comprises various novel features of construction and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings on on Figure 1 is a side elevation of the discharging portion of a drying apparatus equipped with ejecting mechamsm embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan of the same.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of the apparatus, as on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. t is a transverse horizontal section of the same, as 011 the line 4+4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section, partly in elevation, as on the line 5-5 of Fig. l.

Figs. 6 and 7 are transverse sections through the endless conveyer and adjuncts, as on the lines 66 and 7- 7, respectively of Fig. l.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one oft-he links of the conveyer.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2, 1920.

Serial No. 323,545.

a part of the supporting frame, including a bed or table 11 above and parallel to which a portion of the box conveyer 12 travels at the discharging station of the apparatus. This conveyer, in the form illustrated, coinprises an endless chain of approximately rectangular open links, each having a pair of oppositely related clip springs 13 adapted to receive and grasp the broad sides of a match-box lat after the ignition paint has been applied to the narrow sides of the latter. The boxes thus held by the clips project beyond both sides of the respective links and in that condition they are carried by the conveyer through an extended path until the paint has dried, whereupon the boxes are successively discharged from the conveyer by means of my novel ejecting mechanism.

The course of the conveyer at the. discharging station is determined by suitable guide devices with which engage laterally projecting studs or rolls 15 on the respective links of the conveyer. These devices include horizontal guide-ways 16 formed in spaced parallel walls 1? having basal flanges which are bolted to the bed or table 11. Curved guide flanges 18 located at the respective, ends of the walls 17 deflect the conveyer into and from the horizontal guide-ways, a driven sprocket-wheel 19 at the rearward end of the walls engaging and impelling the conveyer. The flanges 18 are formed on upstanding brackets 20 which are bolted to the bed, and the wheel 19 is fast on a transverse shaft 21 having its hearings in standards 22 rising from the bed. This shaft, in the present instance, bears a worm wheel 23 which meshes with and is driven by a-worm 24 on a powerdriven shaft 25 extending longitudinally of, and having its bearings in brackets 26 on the bed. Cverhanging the path ofthe conveyer as it approaches the wheel 19, is a presser foot 2'? which is affixed to a vertically reciprocating frame, including two spaced vertical bars 28 connected at their upper anc. lower ends by crosspieces 29, 30 respectively. These bars extend through suitable openings 31 in the bed and are supported and vertically guided at their lower ends by means of a pair of guide brackets 30 beneath the bed. The lower cross-piece is provided with a lateral stud or roll 32 which enters the cam groove 33 of a face cam 34 fast on a driven shaft 35 extending longitudinally of, and having its bearings in hangers 36 beneath the bed. The shaft 35 is appropriately driven from the shaft 25 through gear wheels 36, 37 on the respective shafts, which mesh with an interposed idler gear 38 loose on a stud projecting from a hanger 39 beneath the bed.

The contour of the cam groove 33 is such that in a part of the rotation of the cam, the frame, together with its presser foot, is lowered and raised, and then held in raised position during the remainder of the rota tion. In each succeeding descent of the frame the foot bears upon the opposing upper end of a box in the conveyer and pushes said box partially down through the link in opposition to the gripping force of the spring clip. 7

Secured tothe back of the presser foot, so as to move therewith, is a depending plunger member 40 which is slidingly fitted to vertical guide ways in a gulde structure il rising from the bed. This plungermember is reciprocative in a vertical path intersecting the horizontal path of the conveyer, and is so mounted and operated in relation to the latter that as each partially depressed box is advanced by the conveyer the plunger forces such box downward and frees it entirely from the clips; the plunger in its descent passing freely between the clip springs. Thev pairs of conveyer links are in such spaced relation to each other that as one box is being partially depressed by the foot 27 the immediately preceding partially-depressed boxis being ejected from the conveyer by the descending plunger 40. The boxes thus ejected drop successively upon a supporting plate 42 suitably aranged on the bed between the walls 17 and are then advanced therealong, side by side, by means of a horizontally reciprocating plunger 43 which is slidably mounted inand between a pair of parallel guide bars 44: on the bed. A stud e5 bearing a roll 46 depends from the plunger 40 through a longitudinally extending slot in the bed and enters the groove 47 of a barrel cam 48 fast on the shaft 35; the contour of said cam groove being such as to effect the timely reciprocation of the plunger 43. The plate 42 and the adjacent portions of the side walls 17 constitute, in efiect, a trough within which the boxes are guided in a row, side by side, toward and deposited upon a suitable off-bearing belt 49 which is flexed about a pulley 50 at the rear of the supporting frame. The shaft of the pulley, which has its hearings in brackets 51 extending from the main frame, is equipped with a gear wheel 52 in mesh with a similar wheel 53, and the shaft 54 of the latter wheel, which also has its bearings in the brackets 51, is provided with a sprocketwheel 55 which is connected by means of a chain '56 with a similar wheel 57 on the worm-wheel shaft 21. Thus motion is transmitted from the shaft 21 through the intermediate connections to the off-bearing belt.

The side walls 17 adjacent the forward or receiving end of the trough are provided with openings 58 through which extend the free ends of a pair of leaf springs 59 which are attached to the outer sides of the respective side walls. The inner'projecting portions of the springs are provided with teats 60 which are so positioned that as each box is advanced by the plunger 4C3 the box bears against the teats and presses them outwardly until the box escapes the same, whereupon the teats resume their normal position and take against the rear of the box. The spring members thus serve as dogs to prevent the accidental retraction'of each succeeding box beneath the path of the vertical plunger 40 after the boxhas been advanced by the plunger as above described.

A horizontal guard plate 61 is secured to the side walls 17 so as to lie somewhat. below the path of the travel of the boxes adj acent the presser foot 27, and thus avoid any liability of such boxes accidentallydropping from the conveyer before they are acted upon by the plunger 43.

It is to be understood that my invention is not limited to the details of construction herein disclosed, as the mechanism may be modified within the principle of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Iclain1- 1. The combination of a traveling conveyer comprisingopen links having spring clips for holding a succession of boxes in spaced relation to each other, of means for partially pushing succeeding boxes through the links, and means for thereafter full ejecting the boxes from the links.

2. The combination with a traveling conveyer comprising open links having spring clips for holding a succession of boxes in spaced relation to each other, of a plunger having two spaced apart ejecting members in different horizontal planes, one of said members being arranged to push succeeding boxes partially through the links and the other member to push the partially ejected boxes out of the links, and means for actuating said plunger.

3. The combination with a traveling conveyer comprising open links having spring clips for holding a succession of boxes in spaced relation to each other, of means for partially pushing succeeding boxes through the links, means for thereafter fully ejecting the boxes from the links, a support upon which the ejected boxes are endwise deposited, and means for moving the ejected boxes successively along said support.

4. The combination with a traveling conveyer comprising open links having spring clips for holding a succession of boxes in spaced relation to each other, of means for pushing succeeding boxes partially through the links, means for thereafter ejecting the boxes from the links, a support upon which the ejected boxes are deposited, means for moving the ejected boxes successively along said support, and devices arranged to engage each box and prevent retrograde move- 10 ment thereof when it is initially advanced by the plunger.

Signed at Barberton, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio this 10th day of Sept, A. D. 1919.

JOSEPH C. DONNELLY. 

